Fabricated table and method of making the same



Oct. 31, 1933. B a U N 1,933,232

' FABRICATED TABLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z1" Z6 If Y Z7 Z0 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Oct. 31, 1933. B. s. VAUGHAN FABRICATED TABLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1931 BY fi' f l-w 1 fl w ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 31, Q 1933 FABRIoA'rEn'rABLE AND .METHOD OF MAKING THE SA E, I

Berkeley s. Vaughan, St. Charles, 111. Application March 9,1931. Serial No. 521,30 I

'7 Claims. (Cl. 144--309) This invention relates to cardtablesand the like and aims, among other objects, to provide an'improved fabricated table top as well as a new method of jmaking it so asto lower the cost of production and produce a better finish of exposed \VOOd parts.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear in the specification when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: I

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a table top frame and illustrating the first step of the improved method;

Fig. .2 is a top plan view showing a rabbet being formed around the inside of the frame;

Fig. ,3 is a section takenon the line 3-3 of Fig; 2, and drawn on a larger scale;

, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view on a scale than Fig. 2 and showing the rabbet being cut at a corner of the frame;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a top board applied to the frame;

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary top planview showing bolt holes adjacent to one corner of the frame;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6;

Fig.8 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing hinged legs secured to the frame; Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig- 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary top; plan view showing the process of forming a molded or shaped outer edge;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a covering applied to the top.

In the manufacture of card table tops having wooden'frames', it has been the custom to shape the frame pieces before they are assembled and to secure themtogether at their corners. Many frames have mitre joints which have to be fitted very carefully. In either case, the joints are not well made and frequently the frame members are bowed so that the finished tables are imperfect. Moreover, the old methods involved a great many more or less costly operations which limit production. This invention aims to provide a new method of making improved, fabricated table tops whereby they will present a uniform finish without any defective corner joints.

In the drawings, successive steps in the process of making a card table top are illustrated. In

Fig. 1, plain wooden. frame pieces '20 having squared ends are suitably secured together at the corners preferably by means of corrugated nails frame is placed on the table 24 of a shaper carrylarger I bolts 31 for securing folding legs 32 inside of the 21 near the insides. The joints are all lapped in the same direction so that the grain of the wood is substantially continuous around the frame. I g

The assembled frame pieces are next placed in a template havingvertical flanges 22 and base flanges 23 which are a little wider than the frame pieces and present straight inside edges having rounded corners. The template carrying the as" in a rotary cutter 25 on a vertical spindle 26. The cutter is secured against the end of a spacer 'sleeve2'lof the proper height to enable it to out a rabbet 28 around the inner edge of the frame.

The inside edges of the template parts 23 bear against the sleeve 27 as the frame is moved about the cutter in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 4) to make the rabbet in one continuous operation. At the corners, the rabbet is rounded on the same'center of curvature as the curved corner portions of the template part 23.

While the frame is still in the template, the table top 29 made of pulp board, ply-wood or other suitable material is fitted in the rabbet and nailed or screwed down, as shown in Fig. 5. The upper face of the top-is preferably flush with the upper faces ofthe frame. The frame is thus rigidly braced so that it can be removed from the templatewithout being racked or distorted due to bending strains. 1

The frame is next removed from the template and holes30 are drilled or bored in the'side frame members near the corners to receive rivets or sliframe. However, it may be desirable in some in- 91 stances, to bore the holesbefore the frame is assembled in the first template. Herein, the legs are similar to those disclosed in my Patent 1,705,- 047. One of the bolts 31 passes through a leg and through thefiange of an anglebracket 33 which is secured to the inner face of one of the side frame members for the other bolt. In this example, the side frames have counter-bores 34 to receive the rivet or bolt heads and, after the bolts are inserted, the counter-bores are plugged up with wooden plugs35 (Fig. 9).

After the legs are applied and the plugs are insertedin the counter-bores, the legs are all folded and the table is set on another template consisting of a base frame 36. and upstanding flanges 37 secured thereto and arranged to engage the inside facesof the'frame members 20. These flanges are not continuous, but are inter rupted or cut away so as not to interfere with the leg bolts and brackets.

Referring to Fig. 11', the base members 36 of the template. extend slightly beyond the outer edges of the side frame members and have straight edges with rounded corners to engage a spacer sleeve 38 for the double molding cutter 39 secured to the shaper spindle 26 in the same manner as was the rabbeting cutter 25. In this instance, the outer edges of the template members 36 have rabbets 40 on their upper faces to provide adequate clearance for the cutter to do its work on the outer edges of the table frame.

The cutter 39 is specially shaped to produce a compound molded edge around the table frame. Referring to Figs; 11 and 12, it will .be observed that a bottom portion 41 of the mold is somewhat Wider than upper portion 42. The upper portion is cut back and rounded on a relatively large radius so as to merge into the top surface of the table. In the process of cutting the compound mold, which may be of any suitable shape, the table is turned in a counter-clockwise direction so as to avoid having th cutters out across the grain in the ends ofthe side frame members. The two parts 41 and 42 are separated by a kerf 4:3 to receive the selvages of a cover 44 made of suitable material, the edges being forced into the lcerf by means of atool or instrument. If de sired, a piece of Wire may be used. I v

' In Fig. 12, a small sectional view of a finished table is illustrated. It will be observed that the lower portion 41 of the compound molded edge projects beyond the other portion 42 of the mold and beyond the cloth. cover. This enables the table to be stood on its edge on a floor and dragged ,or slid about without damaging the cover, asthe exposed portion will withstand the wear. 1 Thus a covered table top of this type will last-for a considerable period without being torn by abrasion or rubbing on the floor.

; From all of the foregoing description, it will be seen that the process of assembling composite table tops and folding legs is greatly simplified. The-operations may be performed in a fraction of the time required to perform the old and well known operations necessary in making mitre joint frames and assembling the tops on them. Furthermore, the corner portions of the tables are all uniform'and present the same molded edges as'the sideportions There are no sharp corners to injure delicate fabrics of ladies garments. Furthermore, the complete assembly is very strong because all of the parts are accurately out and fitted. v

Having thus described the. preferred steps in practicing the; method and a table top produced thereby, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited by the particular description thereof. Therefore, the appended claims are not to be constructed as being strictly limited to the particular disclosure. I a

What is claimed is:'

1. That method of making composite table tops which is characterized by joining plain wooden pieces at their ends to form a frame; setting the frame in a template; producing a continuous rabbet around the inside of the frame at the top while it is in the template; securing a top within the rabbet; setting the frame and top in another template; and shaping a continuous mold around the outer edges of the frame mem bers. l

securing a top board to the frame within the 2. That method of making composite table tops which is characterized by joining plain wooden pieces at their ends to form a frame; setting the frame in a template; producing a continuous rabbet around the inside of the frame at the top while it is in thetemplate; .securing a top within the rabbet; setting the frame and top in another template; shaping a continuous mold and groove on the outer edges of the frame members; and securing the edges of a flexible top cover in the groove.

3. That method of making composite table tops which is characterized by joining plain -wooden pieces attheir ends with lap joints to form a frame, the joints overlapping in the same direction around the frame; setting the frame in a template; producing a continuous rabbet around. the inside of the frame at the top while it is in the template; securing a top within the rabbet; setting the frame and top in another template; and shaping a continuous mold around the outer edges of the frame members.

i. That method of making composite table tops which is characterizedby joining plain wooden pieces at their ends to form a frame; setting the frame in a template having a guiding inner edge; placing the template. on a shaper table and guiding it to move about a rabbet cutter to produce a rabbet on the inner edge of the frame;

.05 rabbet; and, subsequently, shaping the outer edges of the frame to'produ'ce a mold.

5. That method of making table tops which" is characterized by assembling a frame of plain side rails having lap joints at the ends with ends overlapping in the same direction around the frame; forming a continuous rabbet on the inside of the top portion of the frameby' means of a shaper; inlaying a top board in the rabbet; and producing a continuous molded outside edge having rounded corner portions by holding the W frame against a. revolving shaper cutter and rotating the frame continuously in one direction.

6. Thatmethod, of making tabletops which is characterized by. assembling a frame of plain side rails having lap joints at the ends with ends overlapping the same direction around the frame; forming. a continuous rabbet on the inside of the top portion of the frame by means of a shaper; securing a top board .in the rabbet; setting the frame and top on a template and cutting a continuous double mold and groove on the outside edges of the frame members in one operation; and securing a flexible cover on the top and to the side edges in said continuous groove,

7. That method of making card tables which W isv characterized by assembling plain Wooden side frame members; cutting" a rabbet on the inside edges of the assembled frame in one operation;

securing a top board in the rabbet; drilling 1 35 p a I BERKELEY s. VAUGHAN. 

